When Martin Adam came off the bench during Hungary’s opening match at Euro 2024, a million memes appeared on the Internet.
Standing 6 feet 3 inches tall with a huge red beardthe customs officer quickly became a cult hero throughout Europe, referred to as an “absolute individual” and a “Hungarian Viking”.
He came from the village of Forraskut and his fame took some getting used to from one day to the next, because he appeared as a submarine in all three Hungary matches at the tournament.
Cult hero of the year
Adam was interviewed by FourFourTwo awards magazine after being voted our Iconic Hero of the Year.
“I don’t like being the center of attention, but I seemed to become very popular,” he said of his summer. “There was a tall guy with a big beard who many people learned existed for the first time.
“You just have to know how to deal with it – I’m a laid-back guy so it wasn’t a problem. Some people make fun of my appearance, but that’s what I look like.
The marksman was a prolific goalscorer in Hungary with Paks – almost joining Luton Town two and a half years ago.
“They wanted to sign me, but I still had to collect employment points to get a work permit there,” he revealed. “That restriction has since been removed, so I was unlucky.”
Eventually he moved to South Korea with Ulsan HD, and then after playing at Euro, he joined the Greek team Asteras Tripolis.
It didn’t work out well, though: he left by mutual consent in November without scoring a single league goal.
“Some people thought I would win the games myself due to the summer hype, but my performance was completely different – the local press quickly scolded me,” he said.
“I was waiting for a positive impulse, but I know how much work I will put in to turn the situation around. I preferred to go back to Hungary rather than sit on a bench in Greece every weekend.
Next up: Wrexham?
Since then, Adam has been looking for his next move and the UK remains a dream – even in League One, where Wrexham are struggling for promotion under owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
“I think English football would be a good fit for me. If an offer came up, I wouldn’t think twice and go immediately,” he said.
“Who knows? Maybe I could sign for Wrexham! Joking aside, I’m well known in Hungary and the Far East, so I’ll probably get offers from there. In 2025, I want to prove to everyone that I am good, but especially to myself.
The full interview with Adam can be found in this month’s FourFourTwo magazine.
